


Becoming the Bull

by sleeponrooftops



Category: Avenged Sevenfold, Kyle Loza - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-08-02
Updated: 2008-08-02
Packaged: 2017-10-31 07:50:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/341714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleeponrooftops/pseuds/sleeponrooftops
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I was staring, I was well aware.  But he wasn’t getting up and it was scaring the shit out of me.  His mum was sitting next to me, peeking through her fingers, and I had mine crossed, waiting with baited breath as everyone watched on…</p>
            </blockquote>





	Becoming the Bull

_Grab the bull by the horns, the old adage goes._

I hated these days.

 

I am watching from the stands where a good amount of other people are also gathered, but not near enough to fill the large Qualcomm Stadium.  It’s open and there’s a bunch of FMX guys here today trying to pull off their crazy stunts for Moto X’s World Championship Best Trick before the X Games start.  I’m with my current boyfriend’s mum and his two sisters, we anxiously awaiting his attempt.  He’s been trying to perfect his newly developed _Electric Death_ , as he so kindly has christened it, for the past many tiring months and he hasn’t tried land it without the foam pit yet.

 

‘Up next, we have newcomer Kyle Loza,’ the announcer says over the system.

 

I shake my head and shift in my seat as he pulls up a good distance behind the ramp.  He waits until one of the guys on the ground tells him to go, he stalls for a few seconds, and then shoots forward, flying off the ramp into the air.  He’s explained the trick to many times as a quick Barhop while he stalls the bike, an extended suspension or Dead Body one-handed, and a final body flip or a different form of a Body Varial.

 

He hits the ramp dead on, nails the trick, and is left in the dirt as he can’t find the handlebar in time or his footing on one of the pedals.  His bike hits the landing sideways and he goes with it, twisted around it as he hits the ground _hard_.

 

His team waits for him to get up, giving the signal that he’s okay, but I have to refrain from looking away as he lets his head fall back and lies still.  Thankfully, they run on and I can just see all the other FMX guys staring on, looking concerned.  That was _bad_.

 

‘It looks like Loza’s not getting up and they’re paying specific attention to his head,’ the announcer says this time as someone wheels his bike away.

 

They finally tug off his helmet and he motions to his forehead, but I’m way too far away to hear what’s happening.

 

‘And Loza’s up with the help of his team.’

 

There’s some scattered applause as they haul him to his feet, helping him walk away.  He looks back, eyes connecting with mine, and I get the message.

 

‘I’ll be back,’ I murmur to his family before rising and heading off through the seats toward the stairs leading to the underground level.

 

Kyle and I met about a year before his first X Games.  He was twenty then, being twenty-two now, and we’d clicked almost immediately and had started going out a few months after we met.  We hadn’t split since.

 

‘How are you feeling?’ I query as I reach him, he currently downing a bottle of water.

 

‘A little banged up, but I’m stoked about the second round.  I’m gonna land it this time, promise.’

 

‘How’s your head?’

 

‘Fine.  I’ll have a migraine later cos I landed pretty hard, but I’m okay.  How did the actual trick look?’

 

‘You lost your balance.’

 

‘Yeah, I _know_.’

 

‘It looked perfect.’

 

‘Perfect,’ Kyle grumbles, rolling his eyes, ‘It was wonky.’

 

‘Hey, you good for your second attempt?’ one of the working guys on the field asks as he stops by us.

 

‘Yeah, I’ll be right over.  Can you stay over here?  It’s so lonely coming back to just the team.’

 

‘Of course.  I’ll be right here.’

 

He just smiles and quickly starts his bike again, pulling on his helmet once it’s going.

 

‘Cheer loud,’ he murmurs before he tugs on his goggles and speeds off toward the starting point again.

 

‘Okay, let’s see if he can pull it off a second time.’

 

I’m left watching with baited breath, following his every movement, and cheering excitedly as he flies through the air, ending the cheer with soft disappointment as he crashes hard again.  He gets up on his own this time, but shakes his head, so I know he’s just holding it together.  One of the cameras on ground level recording the reactions stays by me as Kyle grabs his bike again and heads over.

 

‘Fucking dirt,’ he hisses as he yanks his helmet off and hangs it on his handlebars, killing the engine.

 

‘Fucking dirt?’ I repeat, smiling slightly.

 

‘Shut up.  Goddamn fucking dirt’s in my way.’

 

‘There’s dirt at the games, you know,’ I remind, all but laughing at this point.

 

He lets out a loud groan and leaves his bike to go find a drink.  I let him have his time with his fellow FMX guys, but am quickly distracted as my phone rings.

 

‘Hey, Bri, what’s up?’ I query upon answering, turning away from the camera.

 

‘Just wondering when you were getting back.’

 

‘Soon, hopefully.  Kyle’s done, but I’m sure he’s gonna wanna stay for the rest of the guys, so I think I’m gonna hang around, too.’

 

‘You’re gonna be late.’

 

‘I’ll make sure to leave on time, don’t worry.  Have you heard from the twins yet?’

 

‘They’re coming.  You got a camera on you?’

 

‘Mhm.’

 

‘Ah, I see.  Okay, I’ll let you go.  Call me when you’re on your way, alright?’

 

‘Yeah, sure.  Talk to you later.’

 

I hang up as Brian says goodbye before sighing and turning back to the ramps.  Scott Murray’s at the starting, looking a little more than nervous.

 

‘Hey,’ Kyle whispers as he suddenly appears behind me, sliding his arms around my waist.

 

‘Hey,’ I return, putting my hands over his as he sits his chin on my shoulder and watches Scott zoom forward, hit the ramp, and land a friggin double back flip.

 

Kyle’s left screaming and going nuts, dancing off to Scott where they go crazy together before Scott leads away from the landing ramp.  There’s lots of excitement and I just love how genuinely nice they all are to each other even though they’re all trying to get the gold.  Kyle’s new to the group as last year was his first ever X Games, and he’s probably the youngest, too.  Everyone’s kind of skeptical about him considering he won it all last year with his Volt, a weird variation of a Body Varial, and now he’s completely flunking out right before this year’s games.

 

It’s nearing five o’clock when I finally have to leave and we’ve just been hanging out and going off the ramps for fun.  I wave him over as I’m collecting my jacket and phone, he jogging over with a slight frown.

 

‘Where are you going?’ he says, sounding sad.

 

‘I gotta meet the guys for dinner.  We need to talk about fall tour stuff.  I’ll see you later?’

 

‘Yeah, I’ll call you tomorrow morning.’

 

We part with a small, quick kiss because I know he hates to be affectionate in front of the guys, something I’ll never get used to, and I leave slightly disappointed.  I haven’t been able to actually _be_ with him the past few weeks because he’s been training so hard and we haven’t had time for just _us_.

 

Dinner is boring and I’m definitely looking forward to getting to bed and sleeping the day away.  Of course, though, my laptop convinces me to check who’s online.

 

After signing in, I minimize the buddy list and open the Internet to aimlessly surf.

 

_lozaisaNEWBIE has signed on._

I wrinkle my nose at the little boxed message in the corner of my screen, ignore it, and click on the article on MSN talking about some alien creature washing ashore in New York.

 

_supersonic has signed on._

‘Wow, let’s have the whole team sign on,’ I grumble, rolling my eyes at Scott Murray’s sign on message.

 

And then an IM pops up, but I minimize it without even looking who it’s from.  It starts flashing in the taskbar and these little boxed messages start popping up until I finally decide to pay attention to him.

 

 **lozaisaNEWBIE:** heyy, you there??

 

 **lozaisaNEWBIE:** are you mad at me??

 

 **lozaisaNEWBIE:** i'm sorry about today.  that was kind of rude of me.

 

 **lozaisaNEWBIE:** zaaaaack, please talk to me!! ****

**icccckyhabod:** what? ****

**lozaisaNEWBIE:** i'm sorry.  ='[ ****

**icccckyhabod:** about? ****

**lozaisaNEWBIE:** earlier today.

 

 **lozaisaNEWBIE:** before you left. ****

**icccckyhabod:** whatever. ****

**lozaisaNEWBIE:** no, not whatever.

 

 **lozaisaNEWBIE:** i feel bad.

 

 **lozaisaNEWBIE:** you're not mad, right?? ****

**icccckyhabod:** no.  just...

 

 **icccckyhabod:** frustrated. ****

**lozaisaNEWBIE:** ohh...

 

I minimize the IM again, going back to my article until it starts flashing again,

 

 **lozaisaNEWBIE:** i didn't mean to upset youu. ****

**icccckyhabod:** you didn't. ****

**lozaisaNEWBIE:** you said you were frustrated.

 

 **lozaisaNEWBIE:** -is confused nwo-

 

 **lozaisaNEWBIE:** *now ****

**icccckyhabod:** i am. ****

**lozaisaNEWBIE:** OH MY JESUS.

 

 **lozaisaNEWBIE:** you're making no sense. ****

**icccckyhabod:** y'know, you could actually think about something other than your bike and those guys occasionally.

 

He lapses into virtual silence, and I know I’ve hit a nerve.  And I also know I definitely shouldn’t have made a stab at that one.  It’s like asking me to

 

 **lozaisaNEWBIE:** well, maybe you should pay less attention to your guitar.

 

Exactly.

 

 **icccckyhabod:** you know i didn't mean it ilke that.

 

 **icccckyhabod:** *like ****

**lozaisaNEWBIE:** you did.

 

 **lozaisaNEWBIE:** **icccckyhabod:** y'know, you could actually think about something other than your bike and those guys occasionally. ****

**lozaisaNEWBIE:** translation: focus on something more important.

 

 **lozaisaNEWBIE:** yeah, cos motorcross is _so_ not important to me. ****

**icccckyhabod:** kyle, i'm sorry.  that was mean.  i just... i want us to be able to be a real couple. ****

**lozaisaNEWBIE:** how do you mean?? ****

**icccckyhabod:** not shy in public?

 

 **icccckyhabod:** it's like you're embarrassed or something. ****

**lozaisaNEWBIE:** i'm not embarrassed.  just... ****

**icccckyhabod:** embarrassed. ****

**lozaisaNEWBIE:** sorry?? ****

**icccckyhabod:** it's... _kind of_ understandable.

 

 **icccckyhabod:** i mean, we've been going out for two years.  you shouldn't feel weird with me _anywhere_ , even around the FMX guys. ****

**lozaisaNEWBIE:** i know.  my sister's are brainwashing me, i think. ****

**icccckyhabod:** don't blame this on them. ****

**lozaisaNEWBIE:** -sulks- ****

**icccckyhabod:** here's a thought.

 

 **icccckyhabod:** let's go out somewhere.  are you free tomorrow night? ****

**lozaisaNEWBIE:** not rly. ****

**icccckyhabod:** how's tonight? ****

**lozaisaNEWBIE:** it's, like, ten o'clock. ****

**icccckyhabod:** yeah.

 

 **icccckyhabod:** and? ****

**lozaisaNEWBIE:** where d'you wanna go?? ****

**icccckyhabod:** late dinner? ****

**lozaisaNEWBIE:** ice cream??

 

 **lozaisaNEWBIE:** i had dinner, like, right before i signed on. ****

**icccckyhabod:** suure.  want me to pick you up? ****

**lozaisaNEWBIE:** yeah, that'd be great. ****

**icccckyhabod:** aiight.  i'll be there in twenty. ****

**lozaisaNEWBIE:** heyy zack... ****

**icccckyhabod:** mm? ****

**lozaisaNEWBIE:** ily. ****

**icccckyhabod:** ditto. ****

_lozaisaNEWBIE has signed off._ ****

 

I sigh and run a hand over my face, glancing at my clock.  It’s almost ten thirty.  Sometimes, I just don’t understand how we work…


End file.
